random reading update

Just finished a couple of very different books with one thing in common: humor.

Bossypants by Tina Fey was a book club choice of a group I sometimes frequent. As expected it was funny but what I really enjoyed was the surprising feminist bent the book had.

Fey highlights many an oxymoron that exist regarding men and women when it comes to comedy. She also exposes some blatant sexism in the industry as it pertains to sometimes prevailing producer and director opinions, e.g., two women by themselves in a skit can't possibly be funny enough.

The second book I completed this week was Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

I hadn't read the book since high school or somewhere thereabouts.

I have to say, it was entertaining, but a number of elements of the book did bother me starting with the fact that the "N" word is used on just about every page. I understand book was written a long time ago, but still flinch a little when I hear or read the word.

As I said, the book is wildly entertaining, but the last handful of chapters started to irk me as these two boys (Huck and Tom) are literally making a game out of a grown man -- Jim's -- freedom. Working to make his escape as ostentatious as it can be for the pure fun of it.

I suppose the beauty of the book is the journey itself including the ongoing parade of characters met and lost along the river's shores.

where have you been all my life: free audio books

When it comes to reading I tend to idol back and forth between Austen-era novels and early 20th century American literature.

And, with wonderful sites like Librivox and Project Gutenberg I've been able to double and sometimes triple my consumption of literature lately -- the vast majority of the time working out.

It's perfect, literature free from copyright is generally very old -- and, well I like old stuff...serendipity.

I've been downloading a lot of short stories as I find they are perfect for long runs. The plot develops quickly keeping your interest during that dire and sometimes very painful first mile. Then you are hooked and you have to continue to run in order to hear the end of story!

(You might say -- why not just stop and listen to the story. Understand, I have two small children and once you stop running, you become fair game for a never-ending line of questions and other needs, e.g., tissue, snack, water, a dropped book, etc. You would think that alone would be motivation enough to keep running.)

I just finished listening to a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald called Bernice Bobs Her Hair. It takes place as almost all Fitzgerald pieces do, during the roaring 20's. It's the story of Bernice who comes to visit with her cousin Marjorie. Bernice is considered a bore by her cousin as well as all the other younger members of society who fill their nights with parties and dancing.

Marjorie is not the friendliest host and essentially talks trash about Bernice which Bernice overhears. Bernice confronts her and Marjorie does not back down. In the end Bernice takes her cousin's fashion and socializing advice and becomes almost immediately popular. The opening line which Marjorie gives her to catch boys attention is more of less, "I'm thinking about bobbing my hair, what do you think?"

Bernice wins all the boys over, including Warren who has always dotted on Marjorie. This sets Marjorie on a warpath. She presses Bernice publicly stating she doesn't think Bernice ever intended to bob her hair, basically saying she is all talk.

I won't ruin the end in case you want to read/listen to it. I really like Fitzgerald's shrewdness when it comes to taking apart "proper" society. Like he shows in The Great Gatsby, he understands how social circles seem to work -- and dysfunction.

crappy, but oh so good

I'm just loving Julianne Moore's look in A Single Man. She looks like she just stepped out of Valley of the Dolls. I know this book is conventionally thought of as trash by most literary folks, but I have to admit I was glued to this book and could not put it down.

Because of this (and the 30 million+ copies sold of it) I think it's worth putting in my literary canon.

Remembering Poe

I think a lot of writers can recall their first exposure to Edgar Allen Poe. For most of us it was required reading in high school. I remember sitting in my English class in the dark -- the teacher would turn the lights off for effect -- listening to audio cassettes of The Raven, Telltale Heart and others. I distinctly remember the narrator moaning about the "cask of Amontiago" as if a ghost himself.

I always enjoyed the short stories the best, I never did fully appreciate his poetry. The Fall of the House of Usher is one that I like to read every now and again, though it tends to stick in my mind and haunt me for days if not weeks after.

Michael Connelly -- my husband enjoys his books, though I admittedly have not read any of them yet -- edited a compilation of Poe's works called In the Shadow of the Master. It also includes essays and commentary from famous authors like Sue Grafton and Stphen King. The book publishing coincides with the author's 200th birthday (good PR tie-in).

I haven't gotten my hands on book yet, but look forward to picking it up soon.